


Many Universes, Two of Us

by Fawkes_Rinzler



Category: BioShock Infinite
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, Fic Collection, M/M, Relationship is not established, Robert and Rosalind are usually the central focus, Some Humor, funny moments, oneshots, somewhat onesided
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-19
Updated: 2016-09-19
Packaged: 2018-08-16 00:20:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8079526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fawkes_Rinzler/pseuds/Fawkes_Rinzler
Summary: A series of one-shots that I don't deem long enough to give their own set of works. Most of them concern Robert and Rosalind. There may always be updates to this, but because they are just oneshots, I'm always going to be counting this work as complete





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please Read! There are constants and variables in every universe! In the universe I write in, these are a few constants to keep note of!
> 
> 1\. Robert Lutece is very enamored with Booker Dewitt. This does not cause him to want to help Booker regain Anna/Elizabeth, though. He simply grew fond of him during their many attempts with Booker.
> 
> 2\. Robert is taller than Booker. Why is this important? It probably isn't, but it's always something I've accepted as true, so in case anyone gets confused. "the taller male" is always Robert.
> 
> 3\. Elizabeth Dewitt/Comstock was visited frequently as a child by the Luteces, although she doesn't exactly remember as an adult. As a result, she's rather forgiving towards their... quirks.
> 
> That should be all~! I might add some as I go on though. Ultimately, this is just supposed to be a fun series for the people out there that need more Sibling Luteces and Robert pining for Booker~! Quality of writing will probably change from fic to fic. I'll try to catch all the spelling mistakes but, unfortunately, I'm the anti-Sherlock Holmes when it comes to editing my work. :3 Hopefully you'll garner some enjoyment out of these~!

Robert bit his lip as he looked down the alleyway. The energy of the tear was radiating a strong, dry heat that chapped his lips and made him slightly ill. Behind him, Comstock was rocking the newly acquired child, yet another plight adding to his illness. Rosalind, beyond the Tear, was trying to stabilize the machine. Robert bit his lip.

"It appears the Tear has become rather unstable!" Robert shouted over the sound of the energy. From the down the alley, Robert heard it. Footsteps. His heart leapt into his throat as anxiety began to grow in him. This was a mistake. This was wrong. Why were they doing this? In the name of his sister's work?! Was that really worth the price they were paying?

"It's fine! Hurry!" Rosalind cried, motioning from beyond the Tear.

"Fine!" Robert squawked, watching Booker approach with growing apprehension, "Are you mad?"

"No!" Rosalind shouted frantically, her expression one of stricken terror, "You will not be caught in between! Come!"

Robert watched Booker approach, picking up the pace, "It's uncomfortable enough as it is!" He cried back, praying his dear sister, his other half, would understand.

"It's going to be more uncomfortable if you don't come now!" Rosalind argued as she looked over her shoulder before looking back at him. Her eyes pleading. Please. Don't do this to me.

"If I get caught, it's going to be a very long time before we see each other," Robert replied emphatically as he watched Booker break out into a run. He had a choice to make, and felt as though there were none. His morality as a person, or his love for his sister. 

"You will not get caught, I promise!" Rosalind begged. Robert stared. Were those tears in her eyes? 

"You can't promise me that!" He croaked. Then he realized. They weren't talking about the Tear anymore..

"We're going to loose our window!' Rosalind warned as she turned to fix something in the machine. Robert rolled his eyes, trying to hide his fear and self-loathing. 

"I'll wait, thank you!"

"Give her back, you son of a bitch!"

Robert made his choice in a single instant. The Tear widened, Robert looked to his sister and prayed he had chosen correct.

"It's ready! Go!" She cried. Robert ran through, leaping into the other side, back into Columbia. His head began to heart, his nose started to bleed. He turned to watch.

Comstock was trying frantically to pull himself through as Robert pulled back against him, hoping to stop him, "No! No no no!"

"Shut down the machine!"

Robert could feel the bile rising in his throat. Was it the Tear? Or was it watching a man fight frantically to save the daughter he'd just sold away, "Anna!"

"Shut down the machine now! Do it!" Comstock roared. Rosalind touched his arm, a gesture of compassion, before moved to turn it off. Robert forced himself to watch, already resolving, in his mind, to pay for this ultimate, grand mistake.

"Give me back my daughter!" Booker screamed frantically. The tear began to close, Comstock pulled away, "NO!"

Robert didn't know what happened next. The second the Tear closed, he passed out, haunted by the nightmarish scream of a man fighting to deny the knowledge that he would never see his daughter again...


	2. The First of a Thousand

Robert was rubbing his forehead, right above the bridge of his nose as he sat in the high-back chair, contemplating. Rosalind kept watch, careful to make sure that none would see them taking a moment's respite. The joy of wandering space and time was that a moment's rest could be taken at any empty spot at a moment's notice. The problem? None could know when the owners of said rest place would return...

Robert was upset, and Rosalind could see it. He only ever rubbed his forehead when something upset him. Rosalind could not blame him though. She was a bit unsettled herself... 

Mr. Dewitt's death had not come with peace. Songbird had seen it, by Comstock's command...

"Well, Robert... There's nothing else to be done, now... We tried," Rosalind offered gently as she approached her brother. Robert looked up at her, his blue eyes were faint and drawn. He looked terribly tired. Rosalind knelt beside her brother and took his hand tightly in her own, "We did our best...."

Robert looked away, "But... What if we could have done more?" Robert asked hesitantly...

Rosalind stood up slowly, then walked away, towards the window..

A large, bull whale with his calf swam lazily by. Odd coincidence, if ever there was one...

"You want to try again?" She whispered.

"As many times as we have to...."

It wasn't a statement. It wasn't declaration. It was a plea. When Rosalind turned to look, Robert was staring at her. He looked beseeching. Hopeful.... Rosalind walked over to Robert, took his hand in her own, and kissed it gently on the knuckle.

"Yes," She murmured softly, "As many times as we have to..."


	3. Back To the Drawing Board

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First Person POV warning.

My Brother-

Me-

We?

He.

He flinches. Robert always flinches, always averts his gaze, never wants to witness it happen. He cares. I know he cares. He has always cared. He was the one who started this, after all. I would not call caring a weakness, but given the circumstances, I would not say it's helping him. We always end up going back, doing it over again, trying to figure out where we went wrong, and trying to fix our mistake.

He calls it a mistake. He looks at me and we depart. It's time to start the game over again. Time to gather our things, set the wheels in motion again, find another Booker. I see it in his eyes. My brother-

Me-

We?

He.

He watches every failure with such personal loss. I don't understand why. There are an infinite amount of possibilities to be had. There is no need for his emotional attachment to one or the other. But he cares.

Robert has always been better at adjusting for the human variable in any equation. I can see it in his eyes. He cared when young Anna's pinky finger was severed from the Tear. He cared when he approached a severely drunk Booker and told him to bring the girl and wipe away the debt. He cared when we rowed him to the lighthouse, all ninety-six times. He cared when we watched Booker get shot, thrown over the edge of Columbia, bludgeoned, or slaughtered. He cares now, as we start this all over again.

"You realize it is unlikely this one will survive any better than the other, right?" I ask as we don our rain clothing to begin rowing the boat to the Lighthouse. My tone is softer than usual. He looks at me, and I can see the shadows under his eyes, the paleness in his irises.

"I know." His voice is barely above a whisper as he pushed the boat out into the stormy harbor. I follow.

"Then why do you torment yourself?" The words are out before I can stop them. He looks at me with an expression I can not quite decipher. It is an odd mix of pain, loss, acceptance, and stubbornness.

"Because I cannot leave it like this," Robert replies fiercely. We get into the boat. He begins rowing toward Booker. Another Book. Booker number ninety-seven.

"Because you care..."

Robert doesn't here me, or if he does, he doesn't react. We begin to row to the lighthouse. The machine is running again, the gears perfectly operating, everything going according to plan. But I know.

I know the machine will stop short and fail. This Booker's face is no different...

And my Brother will flinch and look away as this one, too, dies. He'll look at me, and we'll start over again.

And I'll wonder why my brother-

Me-

We?

He.

And I'll wonder why he cares so much as we're sent back to the drawing board again.....


	4. An Introduction, Of Sorts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Booker Dewitt shouldn't open his door to strangers past 8 o'clock. He's getting tired of redheads meddling with his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is basically the introduction fic that sets the universe for all of my other Robert/Booker Bioshock fics. This is the backstory to why they all live together and stuff!

It was a warm, damp summer evening in New York City, and Booker Dewitt was trying to teach his daughter how to walk. With her tiny, chubby arms safe in his hands, Booker was walking little Anna along the short space from his desk to his couch. The tiny girl was slowly getting it, figuring out that the only way not to lose her balance was to put one foot forward, but her feet turned in awkwardly and she kept whining every time her knees buckled. Booker watched carefully, keeping the girl barely suspended so she wouldn't hurt herself. He had become very conscious of such things. He wouldn't make the same mistake again. Not this time.

With a cry of protest, Anna pulled her legs against her chest in a firm declaration of "No more". Booker scooped the baby up against his chest and held her close as he settled down on the faded, red couch. Anna gurgled happily and began to play with his cravat as Booker looked around his house.

One room apartment would have been more precise. For that was what it was. One bedroom for Anna's crib and a mattress on the floor for Booker, one bathroom with a shower that only offered cold water, and one main living space that held Booker's desk, a couch, and a few assorted things for Anna. It wasn’t much, and Booker wasn’t so delusional to think that the apartment was any place to raise the little girl, but it was the best he could afford. 

Anna yawned, breaking Booker out of his reverie. He smiled down at his little girl before standing slowly, rocking the girl gently in his arms as he walked towards the small bedroom. Anna was beginning to fall asleep, her wide, innocent eyes heavy with exhaustion. Booker was humming softly under his breath, a tune he couldn’t quite remember, when suddenly, a knock came from his apartment door. 

Anna’s eyes snapped open and she immediately began to whimper. The knock was loud and sharp, very to the point. Booker felt the color drain from his face as old fears from memories that did not belong to him in this lifetime came with an aggressive force. 

_“Bring us the Girl, Wipe Away the Debt.”_

Booker clutched Anna tightly to his chest as someone knocked again. Hesitantly, he began to edge towards the door as a conversation finally came to be heard. It was quiet, but Booker could clearly make out a male and female voice. He walked closer to the door to try and listen.

“-like that, you’ll scare him.”

“Scare him? Why on earth would I do that, Dear Sister?”  
“Well, dear brother, it makes sense that the sound of your knocking would trigger some fear in him. Imagine if he has the memories of his past self? He would probably associate you with taking Elizabeth away.”

“Anna.”  
“Right.”

Booker’s brows furrowed. Then his head began to throb. He reached up slowly with his free hand and touched his nose gingerly. Blood. He tried his best to clear his head as Anna’s nerve finally broke and she began to cry. Booker tried to rock her gently, hushing her softly. He didn’t want them to hear, but it was already too late...

“Ah. We seem to have disturbed her, Dear Brother.”  
“Poor dear.”  
“He’s standing right in front of the door, you know.”

“Oh, I’m quite aware.”

Booker sighed deeply. There was no point in hiding anymore. He gently hushed Anna again before unlocking the front door and opening it. They were standing there, two redheaded people, one man, one woman. Matching beige blazers, dark brown waistcoats, green ties, and crisp white button-down shirts. 

“Hemorrhaging already,” The female observed.

“Not exactly a surprise,” The man pointed out, “Good evening, Mr. Dewitt.”  
Booker shook his head slowly, “Oh no. No! Not you two! I don’t know what you want, but you’re not talking Anna from me!” Booker snarled. He grabbed the door and prepared to slam it, but the woman–Rosalind, her name was–pressed her hand against the door and gave Booker an even stare. All the while, Anna cried and fussed in Booker’s arm, trying to squirm away in destress of the loud noises.

“Please, Mr. Dewitt, my brother and I have worked very hard to get to this point in time, and we’d rather not be turned away,” Rosalind said calmly as Robert stared at Anna, looking incredibly uncomfortable. 

Booker sneered in disgust, “Remembering your crimes, eh Lutece? Fine, get in here and tell me what you want. Then get out,” Booker stood aside and allowed the twins in, all while trying to soothe little Anna and calm her down. It wasn’t working. 

Rosalind looked around, her nose wrinkled in distaste, “My goodness, Mr. Dewitt, you’re raising your daughter here? Robert. Does he really live here?”  
Robert nodded, his expression twisting into one of disgust, “He moved his mattress. Previously had it against the wall over there. Probably moved it into Anna’s room. Unless he had to sell it. The Couch is new though.” Robert offered with a shrug. Rosalind shook her head.

“Depressing.”  
“Alright, what do you two want?” Booker snapped as he sat down on the couch. The twins both made a face at the sight of Booker sitting. Rosalind looked around the room before taking a seat on Booker’s desk. Robert came to stand beside her, leaning against the desk with a slightly put-out expression.

Robert turned to Rosalind. Rosalind turned to Robert. The two stared at each other for a moment before Rosalind spoke.

“My brother and I are aware of our misdeeds toward you, Mr. Dewitt. We wish to repent. To rectify our mistakes and to ‘wipe away the debt’, if you will,” Rosalind offered.

Booker scowled, “What the hell can you offer me?”  
“Those debts, Mr. Dewitt?” Robert inquired, “We know you haven’t paid them off yet. If you let us help, well.... Consider them paid.” 

“This grossly underwhelming shack you call an apartment?” Rosalind looked around made a face, as though she smelled something bad, “Vastly upgraded into a proper home wherein you could properly raise your daughter.”

“A proper job, of course,” Robert assured, “After my disruption, 143 other versions of you drank themselves into submission before being sent to Columbia. We’d see to it you found a more proper employment.”

“And, of course, we’d offer our services in raising little Anna. You can’t take her along every time you worked, and you certainly can’t live here, unemployed, squandering away borrowed money. So, Robert and I would help teach and raise Anna while you worked.”

Booker scowled, “Absolutely not.”

“It’s only logical, Mr. Dewitt,” Robert assured calmly, “We’ve raised her before, in her tower, and we’ll do it again. She can’t be terribly different.”

“Here. I’ll put her to bed. You can discuss the nuances of the matter with my dear brother. It was his idea anyways,” Rosalind said primly before getting up and taking Anna from Booker. For a second, Booker stiffened, his arm growing tight around Anna, but he surrendered, watching Rosalind carefully as she walked into their bedroom. “You were right, Brother. Mattress on the floor,” Rosalind called softly. Booker scowled after her, but Robert held up his hand.

“Peace, Mr. Dewitt. My sister has no reason to do anything to Anna. Now, about our offer-”

“No. Forget it. You’ve never done anything to make me want to trust you. If you don’t take Anna from me, you’ll do something else. I can’t trust you. Leave!” Booker snapped. Robert watched him, his expression closed off, unimpressed...

“It’s only logical Mr. Dewitt, but your opposition was not unexpected. Please, Mr. Dewitt, think on the idea. We don’t need an answer tonight,” Robert assured calmly.

Booker sighed, “Fine. Give me two days to think it over. Not like you’re going to leave my house until I agree anyways.”  
“Very good. Forty-eight hours then,” Robert said with a bow. Booker her shook his head.

“Hell no! You already disturbed Anna for her nap once this week! Two days. Dinner. Any later, and I’m not answering the door,” Booker ordered.

Robert held up both hands and nodded his ascent, “Very well, Mr. Dewitt. Rosalind and I will provide dinner. Have a good evening.”  
“I plan to, just as soon as my house is Lutece-free,” Booker snapped.

Robert smiled thinly before getting up and walking to the bedroom door. Rosalind stepped out, a small smirk on her face.

“Everything’s decided then? Good. Good evening, Mr. Dewitt.”

Booker shook his head and scowled as the two saw themselves out. He got up and locked the door behind the twins before walking to the bedroom to check on Anna, his nerves still not quite settled. Then he saw his baby girl, curled up in her crib, sucking her thumb, clutching a small stuffed animal that reminded Booker eerily of Songbird...

Booker shook his head and raised his eyes up to the heavens. “God help me, what am I going to do?”


	5. Intervention

"Booker!"

Booker didn't know what was happening, or what had happened for this to happen, but now he was falling. Off the cobblestone walk way, off the road, and off of Columbia, into the "Sodom Below". 

Time seemed to slow as Booker caught sight of Elizabeth, reaching out, her expression twisted into one of sheer, raw, unbridled horror.

Suddenly, Booker's stomach lurched as his fall was stopped. Someone was grabbing him, and holding him. And lifting him up by his gun arm.

"If you shoot m, I shall be most insulted," A thickly British accented voice hissed as Booker glanced up. Robert Lutece was bodily hulling Booker back onto the street, kneeling on the ground as he was.

Robert's grip began to slip, and Booker felt himself slide, only to be grabbed firmly around the middle. "Oh no you don't," was growled in his ear. With a strained pull, Booker suddenly found himself lying on the ground, beside the Physicist. Both Elizabeth and the twin were running towards them. Elizabeth looked stunned, Rosalind looked unimpressed.

"Are you done playing hero?" She huffed as Robert picked himself up and dusted himself off, "Ah, look. You scuffed your shoes and your pants. Now we'll have to get you a new pair," She grumbled.

Booker stood as well, brushing himself off idly as Elizabeth ran over and began to fuss over him, "I thought you were gone," Elizabeth breathed, "And then he ran in from nowhere and grabbed you. Oh Booker, I don't know what I would have done if you'd fallen..." She admitted as Booker holstered his gun and glanced over at the twins.

Rosalind was fussing over Robert's appearance, righting his hair and fixing his jacket. The man had fairly sprawled on the ground, bracing himself to grab Booker. He had certainly ruined his appearance.... The ex-gambler snorted.

"Thanks, Lutece," He called.

Robert glanced over, his expression wry and amused, "Yes well.... Couldn't let you die again now, could I? Especially not over something so trivial..."

Booker glanced over at Elizabeth, who was smiling back at him, "Ya, well, you always all the same-" He turned to look, but the Luteces had disappeared.

Elizabeth chuckled, "That's what they do Booker. Come on. We have to keep going."

Booker nodded slowly, before eying the edge distastefully, "Ya.... And let's avoid edges, if we can..."

Elizabeth laughed, "I thought that's how you live~!"

"Ya, well," Booker grumbled, "I've suddenly decided that, if it means getting caught by crazy red-haired physicists with a penchant for disappearing, maybe living on the edge isn't for me."


	6. Crack Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Booker wasn't expecting this...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll need some crack after the heavy stuff! X3

Booker opened his eyes and blinked slowly. He felt...warm...comfortable.. He sat up slowly.

He was in his house? It looked like his... but he didn't have a house...

His nose started to bleed, he grabbed a tissue and pressed it against his nose. Then he saw the letter by his legs. He looked around the room before picking up the letter and reading it.

"Dear Mr. Dewitt.

Very sorry about almost driving you to jump off of Columbia's edge yesterday. We figured wth all the stress, you probably deserved to just be taken home. Hope you rested well! Breakfast on the side table, still warm, I assure you! 

\- R. Lutece"

Booker's brows furrowed, "I feel like this crosses a few lines..."

He looked down. He was dressed in pajamas....... His clothes lay folded at the end of the bed. Even the cravat was neatly folded up on top..

"Never mind!" Booker announced loudly as he tossed the letter aside, "This crosses all the lines!!!"

~~~~~

"I told you we didn't have to make him breakfast," Rosalind huffed as they sat in the hallway, watching.

"Shush. He'll appreciate the gesture just as soon as he comes to terms with how creepy this is," Robert whispered.

Rosalind rolled her eyes and sighed, "I worry about you, Brother. Something got damaged crossing through the Tears, I think."

Robert huffed, "Well, at least that'll teach you to flippantly say "You're fine" every time I start hemorrhaging from now on, won't it."


	7. Mending the Tear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Little Anna tore the sleeve in her dress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of fluff to go with your humor, ladies and gentlemen? It pairs nicely with the angst as well~!

Uncle Robert! Uncle Robert!"

Robert Lutece glanced up from the couch he was sitting at to see young Anna–Elizabeth? Anna? Oh damn, now he was suffering a nosebleed–running towards him, clutching a piece of clothing in her arms. Robert set his book aside and watched as Anna hopped onto the couch and sat down beside him.

"Uncle Robert, I– Oh! Your nose! Let me get you a tissue!" Anna chirped as she set the clothing aside and skipped off to find a tissue for Robert. The Lutece Twins and her father suffered nosebleeds often enough, unfortunately. Anna had grown quite used to fetching tissues for her father, uncle, and aunt.

As Anna disappeared, Robert, with one hand pinching his nose to control the bleeding, picked up the clothing Anna had left behind. A dress, he observed as he turned the fabric over. One of Anna's favorites, if he wasn't mistaken. It reminded him of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Blue, a white apron in front, a bow in the back. Ah.... But a tear in the sleeve.

Robert grabbed the sewing chest as Anna reappeared with the tissue. Robert gratefully took it and wiped his nose. The bleeding had stopped quickly, thankfully, so he quickly wiped his nose clean before setting the tissue aside to examine the dress again.

"Anna Dewitt, how did you ruin your favorite dress?" Robert huffed softly. Anna blushed furiously as she avoided her uncle's stern glare.

"Um... I was playing outside yesterday, and I accidentally got caught in a tree. I didn't want Daddy or Aunt Rosalind to see, because I was afraid they'd get mad..." Anna mumbled shyly.

Robert shook his head and sighed softly, "Silly girl.... Alright, alright. Look into the sewing chest. Get me a good, small needle, thread it with the blue thread, and I'll get started repairing this," Robert said calmly as he examined the tear carefully. It wasn't so terrible. Obvious, but easy to fix...

Anna did as she was told, then sat down beside Robert and waited patiently as the Quantum Physicist went about repairing the dress. Robert worked quickly and quietly, his stitches firm and businesslike. They didn't match the rest of the dress, but Robert wasn't overly concerned. The dress was mostly a play-dress anyways. 

"There you are, go put it on and see if it fits right," Robert said as he handed Anna back the dress. Grinning like a happy puppy, Anna danced off to her room to try on the dress as Robert put the sewing chest away.

"It fits perfect, Uncle Robert!" Anna cried behind the closed door of her room. Robert nodded. Of course it did. He then sat back down on the couch and picked up his book, only to find arms wrapping firmly around his neck and pulling him in for a big, sloppy kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you, Uncle Robert!" Anna chirped. 

Robert shook his head and smiled fondly at the girl, "You're welcome, Ms. Dewitt."


End file.
